Empanadas are savoury baked or fried pastries filled with spiced beef, chicken, cheese or vegetables — crisp, golden and flavourful. The flaky pastry and savoury, often spiced fillings pair best with fruit-forward, medium-bodied reds and crisp rosé, whose fruit flatters the filling and acidity cuts the pastry. Malbec is the classic Argentine match for beef empanadas, while a crisp white or rosé suits cheese or chicken. The wine should be fruit-forward and fresh; ripe fruit against the spiced filling and acidity against the pastry make the most satisfying pairing.
Our sommelier's picks
Save to PinterestPlush dark red
16–18°C (60–64°F)Malbec · Mendoza, Argentina
Malbec's velvety dark fruit is the classic Argentine match for spiced beef empanadas.
Argentine Malbec is great value.
Juicy Spanish red
15–17°C (59–63°F)Grenache · Spain
Ripe, low-tannin Garnacha flatters the savoury fillings and any spice.
Affordable and ripe.
Crisp dry rosé
8–10°C (46–50°F)Grenache · Spain
A fruity rosé suits cheese or chicken empanadas and refreshes against the pastry.
Spanish rosado is great value.
Aromatic white
8–11°C (46–52°F)Torrontés · Argentina
For cheese or vegetable empanadas, crisp Torrontés flatters the filling and cuts the pastry.
Affordable and aromatic.
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Questions about pairing Empanadas
What wine pairs with empanadas?
Fruit-forward reds like Malbec for beef, or a crisp rosé or Torrontés for cheese and chicken — all flatter the filling and cut the flaky pastry.
Why Malbec with beef empanadas?
It is the classic Argentine pairing — Malbec's velvety dark fruit flatters the spiced beef beautifully.
Does the filling change the wine?
Yes — beef suits a red like Malbec, while cheese, chicken or vegetable fillings pair better with rosé or a crisp white.